Heat bending deflex or letting it take set??

[Jakesnyder]

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this but in a reflex deflex design such as the one in the picture should the deflex be heat bent in or just let it take set? Also does anyone else think that this bow would have been very efficient design for the time period?

[Pat B]

Add the deflex unless it is natural. When I build a bendy handle bow I like to feel the handle bend only as I hit full draw so the handle area remains stiffer until late in the draw.

[Jakesnyder]

Do you think this is a efficient design?

[PatM]

Not really but it works fine.  With Hickory in that width you can just let set take care of the shape.

[mmattockx]

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this but in a reflex deflex design such as the one in the picture should the deflex be heat bent in or just let it take set?

Badger says set always hurts performance and is to be avoided as much as possible. I would go with that advice.


Mark

[Yooper Bowyer]

Don't tourture the belly cells any more than necessary.  If you let it take set, it's that much closer to chrysaling.

[Selfbowman]

Always avoid set if possible. Arvin

[bassman]

A bow that short will have to bend  with in itself, and take on a certain shape.  Even though a gull wing bow has deflex  from about the middle of the limbs out to the  tips  it will still show reflex in the over all design which should make it a better design than a D shaped bow with deflex. You can let it take the set it is going to take, or as JR Riggs does heat treat the deflex in.

[PatM]

 Avoiding set is a good thing but when replicating a bow the rules change.

   If you copy that bow and most others , you will have set.  Often quite a lot too.

[Jakesnyder]

I'm curious then how did they do it?

[bassman]

Look in Jim Hamm's book , and JR Riggs on utube . They show you how it is done. A good Gull wing bow will have no set as we know it. Reflex first,  and deflex  in the outer limbs yes. Hamm shows shape of an Ash self bow with that design. Riggs uses Red Oak a lot. Their is design ,and heat treating involved.

[Jakesnyder]

No i know how to make a gull wing shape. I was curious as to why there is a high chance I would have alot of set in replicating the bow pictured or another bow similar to it?

[bassman]

Short bows are prone to set from the beginning. Research as much as you can before you build it.

[PatM]

No i know how to make a gull wing shape. I was curious as to why there is a high chance I would have alot of set in replicating the bow pictured or another bow similar to it?

 Because it's short and pretty narrow.  In any event in order to bend wood to a curve, cells need to be compressed.  It doesn't matter if that's done by drawing the bow or heating it to that shape.

[bradsmith2010]

if I was curious, i would build several,,and shoot for distance or through a chronograph,,
maybe the deflex allowed for a longer draw,, just guessing,, im sure for close range hunting or war, it worked great or they would not have done it,, maybe the deflex allowed for longer time being braced,,
test one where the deflex is bent in, and test one allowing it to take set and see what it does,,that was a good question,,if you were going to make one with sinew back,, then pre bending the shape would probably work,,,